South Lake Union- Background and Draft Options for Urban Center Plan p 2-1 Executive Summary

This Document is a discussion of goals and strategies for the City of Seattle to facilitate environmental sustainability in South Lake Union (SLU). The goals and strategies discussed below were identifi ed because of their signifi cant potential impact on SLU’s future environmental sustainability, in accord with expressed interests of the City of Seattle and local stakeholders. The focus of the report is on cost-effective neighborhood level strategies that the public sector can implement or encourage within a 10-year horizon. As a result of research on initiatives underway in other cities and countries, interviews with experienced practitioners and analysis of opportunities for integration and innovation, our group developed a set of development strategies that were categorized by issue area (water, energy, habitat, material use, built environment and education) and prioritized in three levels (priority, secondary and additional strategies). Each of the priority strategies were given expanded discussion regarding their context, potential opportunity, and potential implementation strategies. Additionally each priority strategy is accompanied by links and contact information for further research. This document also includes Appendix A, which is a broad survey of green development strategies that are occurring in other regions and countries. The following is a summary of the selected priority strategies: Water • Improve water effi ciency throughout South Lake Union. • Implement an incentive program to encourage integrated innovative stormwater management techniques throughout South Lake Union. • Encourage the reuse of stormwater stored in detention tanks. Energy • Create a Transit Management Association (TMA) or a coordinated transit demand management program in conjunction with businesses to reduce Single Occupancy Vehicle trips within the neighborhood. • Institute a ground source heating/cooling project and monitor results to create a case study. Habitat • An urban forestry program that emphasizes canopy coverage, big trees and species mix to provide cover for South Lake Union. • Investigate setting ecological minimum targets for residential, commercial, and public buildings using a green area factor/biotope area factor as a measurement tool